Monte Carlo
by Centroides
Summary: A simple watch and see turns out to be a little more involved for one of the team. Can he overcome his fear?
1. Chapter 1

Monte Carlo

Chapter 1

"We have a possible new contact in Monaco."

"Hey, that's where that famous casino is." The safecracker was all eyes and ears now. "What's it called? Monte Carlo. I always wanted to go there. So how long we staying?"

"He contacted London in a round-about way so by the time the information arrived it was out of date. Our mission is to observe…"

"And see where his loyalties lie," finished Actor.

"Yes." Originally he had hated someone finishing his sentences but had come to accept it. It did mean that his team, especially Actor, was playing attention and they were thinking along the same lines as he was. "We are to get in close enough and learn all we can."

"Do we know anything about him? Name, age, origin? I assume the contact was made in French if he is from Monaco?"

"Yes, but other than that we know nothing else. He did sign off with Lupo."

"The Wolf," said Actor, "In Italian."

"Fancies himself a tough guy, does he?" said Casino sarcastically.

"Apparently. So how do we find this man, Lupo?"

"We have a suite near the Casino. He is to arrive at midnight wearing a green jacket."

ggggg

Five handsome men, all dressed in tuxedos, were stationed around the entrance room watching the arriving patrons. Perfectly tailored suits and long evening gowns were the norm. Diamonds sparkled on fingers, necks and at wrists. Casino's eyes watched the flash of perfectly set jewels. As it neared midnight their attention became more focused on the door.

"That can't be the guy," whispered Casino after edging closer to the Officer. "He stands out like a sore thumb."

The man, in his late sixties, allowed a young man from his entourage to remove the great coat and take it to the coat check. This revealed dark trousers and a green velvet smoking jacket with gold silk trim. Underneath was a white shirt open at the neck revealing an elegant ascot. His hair was dark but going silver at his temples. The effect was stunning and a number of people turned to look. On each arm was a beautiful woman, one, a blonde, in a long white sleeveless gown, the other a brunette dressed in black. Each wore a diamond necklace with matching ear rings. They were beautiful.

"All the better to discount him. You've already written him off," said Garrison under his breath.

"So you think it could be?" After a pause as they watched he added, "Maybe it's one of the entourage. How be I slip over there and have a talk with the blonde."

"No."

"The brunette?" he asked hopefully.

"No. Watch him." Carefully the Officer looked around. Chief was near the door, watching nervously. The young man was never good in crowds but he was observant. Goniff was half way around the room watching one of the waitresses carrying a tray. She gave him a smile and he beamed. Eyes on the room thought Garrison. As if on cue the Englishman turned in his direction and almost shrugged.

Actor was over… No he wasn't. Where was Actor? With his height he should have stood out but he wasn't… Garrison had to trust him. Slowly he let his eyes drift over the room. Was Actor already zooming in? Where was he?

Nonchalantly the Officer made his way through the crowd touching base with each of his men. No one had seen Actor for at least ten minutes. Even Chief had lost track of him. Where the Hell was he? Sometime later he saw him or at least the back of his head. Was he just playing it safe?

It did not take long for the team to learn the man's name. He was well known to the waitresses and the Casino staff as Adolfo Cesarini, Count Adolfo Cesarini.

With no windows it was hard to tell the passage of time but Garrison's watch said it was approaching dawn. The men had tried to sleep earlier but by now they were all tired. As he moved about the room he kept an eye on the Count. He had played Baccarat for several hours before switching to Trente et Quarante and from the size of his winnings he was doing well. Now he was playing Poker.

Goniff was barely able to stifle a yawn as the man they assumed was 'Lupo' finally stood gathered up his winnings and headed for the cashier.

On his signal Casino was the first to leave. He knew what he had to do. Chief soon followed. He would remain outside to watch their backs and make sure they were not tailed. Goniff waited until the Count and his party left before he gave the coat check girl a peck on the cheek. That left Garrison and Actor, where ever he was. The crowd had thinned considerably so it was easier to see who was left and Actor was not one of them. Assuming he had left earlier for some reason Garrison got his coat and hat and left.

Their hotel was not that far from the building and with the day dawning so pleasantly he walked. When he arrived the other cons had stripped off their jackets and loosened the shirt buttons. Cufflinks were being tossed onto the coffee table.

"Be careful of those," warned Garrison as he too removed his jacket.

"They're paste," said Casino off handedly as Chief let him into the suite.

"Doesn't matter. They have to go back." Turning to the safe cracker he asked, "You find out where he's staying."

"Yeah. That big fancy place near the Casino. Second floor front."

A second tap on the door and Actor was admitted. Garrison was angry but he knew dressing down his second in front of the others was a bad idea. Instead he signalled for him to follow him out onto the terrace.

Keeping his voice calm he asked, "What happened in there?"

"I am sorry," said the Italian standing up straighter, "but I cannot continue with this mission."

Of all the things the American had expected, this was not one of them.

"What? What do you mean you can't?"

"I mean you will have to find another way to contact him. You have become quite adept at the con, perhaps you can take over the role." All this time Actor had stood, hands on the railing looking out over the beautiful view though he probably was not seeing it.

Garrison reached out and grabbed his arm to spin him around. This was serious.


	2. Chapter 2

Monte Carlo

Chapter 2

"I don't have your language skills. My Italian is limited."

"He was expecting to be contacted by one of the Allies, either American or English. You can do this without me."

Garrison's voice turned hard. "Why? Give me one good reason…" Then it hit him. "He knows you."

"Yes."

"You pulled a con on him. How long ago?" Actor was silent. "And you think he'll remember you?"

"Yes," a quiet reply filled with pain and bad memories.

There was nothing he could do so he said, "All right. You'll have to remain here. I don't want you outside, in fact, inside now." As they turned he added, "I want you away from the doors and windows, completely. We can't take the chance." The Officer hoped these draconian measures might spark some defiance in the con man. He wanted to know how bad it was except Actor's acceptance of these restrictions told him it was worse than he thought.

Back inside Garrison asked Goniff, "Can you still talk like Redmond?"

"That toff? No. That almost got me killed." He realized that everyone was watching him and no one was laughing. "All right, maybe a little.

"Actor, give him a refresher."

"Why?" The Englishman was starting to get worried.

"Because we need you."

"Me? Actor's got this one. 'E's the Italian. 'E speaks the guy's lingo," but one look at the con man stopped him cold. "'E knows you, don't 'e?"

"Finally a mark comes back to haunt you," gloated Casino before turning to their leader. "So what do we do now that Beautiful's out of the picture? Can we use him to distract the guy?"

"No," said Actor abruptly.

Was that fear in his voice? Was he afraid to face the man, wondered Garrison. Still unsure how this was going to play out he shot a glance to where Chief was standing near the door. There was something on his mind. Had he seen something at the Casino? Did he know something? A quiet "Chief?" got him a small shake of his head. If he knew something he was not willing or able to share at this time. Damned that stubborn Indian.

The suite they were using was not large. The one bedroom had twin beds, the other a double. Everyone had been up for a good part of twenty hours and they were tired. Their minds were on the beds.

"I'll take the first watch," said Garrison.

"No, You need to be fresh, I'll take it," said Actor.

The Officer headed to the double bed. Rank had its privileges. Goniff and Casino headed to the other room leaving Actor and Chief.

"Get some sleep," said the taller man as he indicated the room their leader had disappeared into. Instead Chief checked the door lock, listened for a moment then opened the terrace door wide enough he could slip outside. The curtains were pulled over the door but Actor came and stood peering out at the edge of the material.

"He more than knows you, don't he?"

"Yes." That was all that was said.

After a moment Chief slipped inside, closed and locked the door. Once he was satisfied all was secure he went and sat on the couch. Slowly he removed his boots, checked his hidden weapon then placed his footwear at the end and lay down, punching one of the pillows into shape before putting it under his head.

Actor who had remained by the door moved over and turned off the overhead light plunging the room into darkness.

"Leave it on," instructed the voice from the couch.

"You need your sleep too"

"Too dark."

Moving carefully Actor made his way to one of the table lamps and turned it on. This smaller lamp illuminated the overstuffed chair where he had planned on sitting leaving the rest of the room barely illuminated. As he sat he thought. He knew Chief was not afraid of the dark; the man was most comfortable in the shadows. The light had to be to keep him from sleeping too deeply. Ever on alert, he was their scout. Actor did not stop to think how easy it would be for him to fall asleep in the dark. Instead he took out his pipe, loosened his ascot and let the memories return.

 _The six year old stood in the grand entranceway staring down at his toes as the harsh words fell on his head and shoulders and plugged up his ears with their scorn. Finally the slap that knocked him off his feet and he landed in a heap on the hard marble floor. The cold on his face mixed with the tears brought no comfort. He lay still with dread as a finely tooled leather shoe nudged his hand where it lay. He wanted to pull it away but he knew better. The shoes retreated and a door slammed. Only then did the boy pick himself up, sneak a glance at the closed door, before he put a hand to his face. The whole side stung. There was probably a mark there too. The ring had a raised face with the family coat of arms, the same as the inlay on the floor. Another quick look and he slunk away. He would have to hide until the mark went away._

Chief turned over, the sound interrupting the flow of memories and offering him an escape. Carefully he stood and headed around the room. The motion helped return the memories to where he had buried them so long ago. If he could only keep them there for as long as this mission lasted.

As he came to the door where Garrison had entered he paused. Would the man let it go or would he demand answers? Could he tell him the truth, a truth filled with shame? Did he need the truth or was a simple explanation all that was needed? Softly he continued around the room.

He owed the man no loyalty. His being here was a simple matter of having the right skills. If he had not been in prison, it would have been someone else. No, his being here was a simple case of right place, right time. That explanation niggled in the back of his mind but he pushed it down.

So what explanation could he give? Garrison had suggested the first option. He had conned the man several years ago. That could explain why he had come to America, to escape the wrath of his mark. That could work. He just had to stick to it. What was the con? Had he embezzled money or taken him on an investment? Mind you Casino would not believe unless there was a woman involved but that was unnecessary. Unless he ran off with his wife. He shuddered. Keep it simple.

As he peeked around the terrace door curtains he wondered if he had the fortitude to take revenge on the devil. That would be very satisfying. If he could take him down, disgrace him… That would give him a great deal of satisfaction but…

They were here to establish a contact for the Allies. Getting his revenge would lose them a contact and possibly drive him into the arms of the enemy. Even if he waited until he was confirmed on their side he could do nothing. Frustration tore at his soul and as much as wanted to flop down on the chair he did not want to wake the Indian or reveal his present emotional state. Actor was always calm, cool and collected. He was a professional.

 _Small for his age the boy learned to run and hide. Rather than face the tyranny he found other ways to provide for himself. Certain members of the kitchen staff could be charmed with a handful of flowers from the gardens but he had to be ever vigilant since the Head of Staff was loyal to the House and as such had no use for small children. They were to be neither seen nor heard._

 _Adults were not the only ones to be avoided. Other children picked up on his vulnerability and he became their favorite target. That was until he learned to fight. As he grew taller and more proficient he began to earn their respect, not necessarily their friendship but at least they no longer tried to beat him up._

Actor put down the pipe he had been holding. As much as he wanted the comfort he knew the added scent might rouse Chief. Feeling the familiar discomfort in his stomach he checked his watch. Maybe he could order some breakfast. As he looked to the telephone he heard a voice say, "Go ahead." Surprised he looked to the couch and saw Chief watching him.

"Get enough for me too."

Actor smiled as he wondered how long the Indian had been watching him. If he had seen anything Actor knew he would not speak of it. The conman picked up the phone.

Chief opened the door admitting the young man dressed in hotel livery. He pushed the cart into the room and began setting up the meal. When he had finished Actor passed him a tip and he bowed, mumbled his thanks and retreated. Chief remained by the door until he was gone and Actor approached the cart.

"Should we save some for the others?" he asked as he doled Eggs Benedict onto his plate.

"Eat what you like. They can order more when they get up."

"Surprised Goniff isn't here."

Breakfast was consumed in peaceful silence until they both sat back each with a cup of coffee.

"You ever think about going back?"

"Back?" feigning ignorance. It bothered him a bit how the young man was able to read him. Was his control slipping?

"To where you're from." Chief was staring into his cup, giving the con man his privacy.

"There is nothing there anymore."

"Just memories, bad ones, huh?" Still his eyes remained down. "I went back once…" There was a long pause as he lifted his eyes to the terrace door. Standing, he moved to peek out from the side. "She'd found someone else." He turned to his companion. "Is that what you're afraid of?"

"No, there is no one there." Then a thought, "Do you ever wish you had not gone back?"

Chief came and sat down, took a bite of the last piece of toast and after chewing said, "No. She gave me some good advice. It hurt at the time but I knew she was right." The young man met the Italian's eyes and said, "She tol' me to go back; to stop running."

"This was when we went to New York to get Keeler."

"Yeah. I mighta run too. It's what I did."

"But you came back. You are not originally from New York."

"No but I lived there for a few years. I grew up in the South but came north. More job opportunities."

Actor wondered if he was referring to legitimate jobs or otherwise. They lapsed into silence again. Coffee gone, Actor took up his pipe and began to fill it.

ggggg

Midnight of the second night their mark, the Count, made his grand entrance. The covert team, minus the tall Italian took up their positions, each in turn getting close enough to listen in. The Italian was lost on them but occasionally he spoke in accented English or French. They learned nothing useful until they returned to their hotel room.

Actor had debated what to say to Garrison. While the rest of the team had been at the Casino he had gone to the Count's hotel and after gaining entry he had searched the suite. This had revealed two things. The first was disappointing but necessary. There was nothing incriminating in the hotel room. The second part was causing him some concern. If he were to survive this mission he had to stay away from the Count, the farther the better. What he had learned was the suite right next to the Count's was empty. If they moved there they could watch and listen easier but it would mean he would be a prisoner. Could he stand to be trapped there for as long as the mission took? Did he want to be that close to the devil? Could he do this for Garrison, for the team, for the Allies?

Could he not do it? One less contact, what would it hurt? Then he thought about how their lives had been saved by having that one last contact to aid their escape or to help them pull off a particular difficult mission. He took a deep breath, expelled it and gave their leader all the news.

The move was made and Actor spent as much of the day as Goniff would tolerate reinforcing his earlier training. That night, Goniff, still protesting his unsuitability would be sent in the rub elbows with the Count.

"Wish you were doing this," grumbled the Englishman. There was nothing Actor could say so he remained mute.

That night started off the same with the Count's grand arrival. Tonight's smoking jacket was black silk with gold brocade trim. The ladies were dressed in pale blue and pale green. Mr. Redmond, aka Goniff, made sure he was in his path as he moved into the gaming room and complimented him on his jacket. He was ignored but when he later showed up to watch him play Baccarat he was at least acknowledged.

"He's counting cards," whispered their resident card shark. The Count had moved on to a new game.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." The two men had slipped back into a quiet corner.

"Think the house knows?"

"Place this big has to."

"Keep watching." There was a chance that this was the first time he had done this. The usual penalty for this form of cheating was to be banned from the premises. They would wait and see what happened.

What happened, was nothing. He played for about half an hour before moving on to another game taking his stack of chips with him. This left the two men wondering. Had this episode been missed? Was he being set up for something? Or was he blackmailing someone? Who and with what? None of these scenarios was conducive to an Allied contact approval.

Garrison gave his instructions and watched the man leave.

By the time the team were all back in their suite Casino was hard at work having set up their listening devise against the wall.

"I'll need another of these so we can monitor the bedroom as well."

"You get the phone?"

"Yeah. Nothing yet but they're just getting in." They would hear nothing useful that morning.

"Here I brung you this," said Chief as he handed over a worn volume. Actor accepted the gift with a warm thank you and a questioning look. I thought you might like somethin' to read while you're waiting. I hope you ain't read it yet?" he added tentatively.

Actor had, but the Italian version. This was in French. "Thank you. That was very kind of you. I look forward to reading it." The man's gestures never failed to please him.

"Warden," said Chief. "There's somethin' I was wonderin' about." Seeing he had the man's attention he continued. "When he went to the teller he didn't give'im no money. The teller just passed him the chips."

That got Garrison's interest but it was Actor who provided the answer.

"If a patron has sizable winnings, the Casino will offer to keep all or as much as the patron wants, in their bank. On their return the patron can withdraw the amount they wish."

"He didn't look too pleased with the amount of chips he got tonight."

"Worth checking?" asked Casino.

Again Actor took the watch and kept an ear on the listening device.

After a day of peace and quiet they ordered a late meal and prepared to set off for the Casino.

"I need a grand," stated Casino.

"What for?" asked the Lieutenant with as much patience as he could muster.

"I feel hot tonight. You'll get your money back, I promise."

"You'll get your usual." Each night Garrison made sure they had enough money to keep up the pretense of being gamblers.

"Come on, Warden. I'll get you your money back. You know me."

"No." He handed him his usual share.

"That's why you'll never be rich," he said morosely. "You have to take the risk. You know I'm good for it." Garrison just turned and handed Goniff his share.

At the Casino the men mingled with the crowds but always within sight of the Count so they all noticed the large man in an understated black suit approach the Count. They recognized Security when they saw it, cops were cops. A short conversation, mostly one sided, ensued before the Italian finished his hand, picked up his chips, doled out a few to his entourage and then followed the messenger.

Chief tried to get close enough to hear but was turned back as he neared the Manager's Office. The guard towered over him by at least four inches and thirty compact pounds. He returned to the gaming floor. A slight shake of his head told their leader of his failure.

It was possible that he was being warned about cheating and if so, he might be escorted off the premises. They would watch.

The meeting lasted about twenty minutes but did not produce the result they had expected. Instead of anger or indignation the Count was all jovial and even wished the man inside a pleasant night. From there he headed to the Baccarat table.

Garrison was close enough to see the man's face as he passed. The smile did not reach his face. The meeting had not been pleasant, the Count was covering. What else was he covering? That was what they were there for. The Casino Manager had called the meeting so he had the upper hand but blackmail did not fit unless … No, there was no way to fit that together. It had to be the Count had received a warning.

Just to be sure he met up with Casino. "I want you and Chief to follow the Casino Manager. Find out who he is and where he lives.

When they returned to their suite he told Actor that as soon as the Count was asleep he was to go out, use the information that Casino and Chief brought back and find out everything he could about him. There might be nothing there but they had to check. Too many lives depended on their contact being solid.

When the gamblers woke up Actor was ready with some information. Still in disguise, his hair was almost white as was his mustache. His face was lined making him look much older. Goniff did a double take.

"The man's name is Elliot Patenaude. He was born in Marseille, France. His wife of seventeen years was born here in Monaco. That is not the interesting part. His brother, Lazare is a member of the Vichy Government. "

"And they're in bed with the Germans," finished Casino.

Garrison just looked thoughtful. This could be a coincidence or not, they had to be sure.

"Too bad we can't bug the office." Casino voiced what they were all thinking.

"Do the ladies stay with him or do they live elsewhere?"

"When we followed him, the ladies joined him in the room but after we were outside I swear I saw one of them get into a cab," offered the safecracker.

"If we knew where one of them… Actor, do you think you could have a chat with them?"

"Too dangerous."

Garrison wondered if the conman was too scared or was it really too dangerous. The man had faced danger before so why now? He was definitely afraid of Lupo.

"Shhh, Actor!" hissed Casino from his position at the adjoining wall. The room went silent instantly until the sound of the phone ranging in the next room came through the tiny speaker.

The conversation was French on the incoming side and Italian going out. When it was completed they looked to Actor to translate.

"We have made contact but maybe not in the manner we expected."

"What do you mean? I know the Frenchman was asking if he had been contacted."

"Yes. Count Lupo described Goniff right down to what he was wearing."

"And why would they need that?" asked the Englishman. "Was me name mentioned? I don't remember telling anyone."

"That is the concerning part. No mention of a name just a description."

"That," said Casino, "sounds like someone's going to put the snatch on'im."

"Did the Count sound concerned?" Garrison was already planning. "Or was this a call he was expecting?"

"You mean like they 'ad it all planned to snatch me?"

"Plans?" Actor turned to the leader. He might not be able to help with the con but he could help plan and advise.

"We could let them…"

"What?" squawked the intended victim. "The last time I almost got killed. No! Not me. I'm not going through that again." He was genuinely distressed.

"Don't worry, we'll be right beside you all the way."

"That's fine 'cause I'm going to be right 'ere for the rest of the time we're 'ere."

That night there was a lot more watching, of the Count's dealings at the Cashier and of Goniff's where abouts. When the Count had a drink sent over to him they had to assume that was the signal to someone. They took turns staying at his elbow.

At the close of the night the team waited until there was a group of people leaving. Garrison and Goniff moved out with them. Casino soon followed. The group was on the way to a nearby restaurant so they followed. Chief caught up with them. Once inside Goniff was spirited out through the kitchen and he and Chief made their way back to their room. The others had a quick drink and they too left.

Casino had watched the cash in. "You were right. From what I could see he got back less than half of what he put in and he was not happy".

"Maybe they're deducting what he stole by cheating," offered Casino

"Possible," agreed Actor. "But for you to clear him as a contact…" They knew Garrison would need to be sure.

The next night they picked the wrong group to leave with because they split up too early and Garrison and Goniff were left alone with Casino about twenty yards behind and closing. A car raced up and skidded to a stop at the curb. Two men jumped out. One went for Garrison while the other with the driver's assistance shoved Goniff into the car. Garrison overpowered his assailant and made a grab for the door handle but the car pulled away. Pulling his gun he fired at the vehicle. As he started to run he saw Casino fall in beside him. The vehicle would have been faster but it was being driven erratically and finally mounted a curb and stopped. The doors opened and two men jumped out. Goniff came flying out pursued by the third man. As soon as he saw the two Americans he skidded to a stop then ran after his companions. Goniff was running back the way he had come.

By the time the men met up, Chief had joined them as well.

"Warden," gasped the Englishman.

"Are you all right?" asked the Officer. Goniff just shook his head as he held onto the Officer's arm. "Let's get you home."

It took two stiff shots to get Goniff to talk and then it was not what they wanted to hear. "I'm done Warden, I told you I didn't want to do this. 'E had a gun to me 'ead. I was sure I was dead. I'd rather go back to prison that go through that again."

"I went through the car and found these," said Chief as he handed over two items. He had returned ten minutes after the others. One was the car's registration and the other was a wallet. "The wallet was on the floor. I guess he dropped it."

"I pinched it," said Goniff, "but he knocked it out of me 'and."

"Good going Goniff. You have a good head even under pressure." Garrison hoped the praise would help the man relax.

Actor was going through the wallet. From this they would learn that the car was registered to a man from Vichy, France the same place the man's wallet was from. This was not looking good.

The next night they had their proof. A small man carrying a briefcase was shown into the Casino Manager's Office. The team waited until he was on his way out. As he passed Goniff bumped into and spilled his drink on the man. Apologizing profusely he pulled his handkerchief and began blotting his chest. He tried to push him off as Casino eased the handle from his hand. Quick pick work and he was inside. It was filled with money but by the time the courier had escaped from the Englishman's busy fingers Casino was wiping it off and handing it back. He made his way out of the Casino and into a waiting car.

Goniff opened the wallet. The courier was from the Vichy Regime. That was all they needed. The Count was mixed up with the Casino which was funneling money to the German Puppet Regime. Whether the Count was directly involved was no longer important. The Allies could not take the chance. He would not be cleared to be trained to be an Allied contact.

"Are we just going to leave him here? He's dirty. He tries it again who knows what will happen, he might get away with it?" insisted Casino.

As Garrison pondered his next move he realized Actor was being very quiet. That brought the thought about why his conman might fear the Count. What sort of history did they have? Had Lupo conned him and he was embarrassed to have anyone know he had been bested. But it was fear not embarrassment. It was something else.

Had he conned Lupo and that resulted in being threatened with death? He pictured the two men facing off. Both were tall, dark haired and dark eyed. He pictured Lupo's arrogance which Actor could mimic exactly. The one difference, he had never seen the same cruelty in his second. Was he…? Actor had no next of kin listed in his file and he had never mentioned any. Was this why?

"The guy's in with the German's. Can we make it look like he's double crossed them?" asked Casino.

"Anymore contact since that phone call?"

"No, just room service."

"All right," said Garrison as he began to pace. "What do we know? The Count cheats, earning a lot of money. He banks it here at dawn then takes some when he returns."

"But he doesn't look happy at the amount he gets," added Casino.

"I would suggest that the Account books show the full amount being paid out." Questioning eyes turned to Actor so he added, "The books that are shown to the Germans."

"So the Casino is skimming to give to the French." Casino saw Actor about to speak so he added, "The Vichy French. Through his brother."

"Do the Germans know?" asked Goniff. "If not then we could tell them. Let the Germans look after 'im."

"If this is an ongoing scam, how often is the pick up?" asked Garrison, lighting up the cons eyes.

"We hit the courier," offered several voices.

"How much was in there, you think?" asked Garrison as he turned to Casino.

"Six to eight grand."

"It wouldn't look good if one guy won too much. They must spread it around," continued the Officer continuing to think aloud.

"You mean have several high rollers caught cheating and have their winnings confiscated?"

"Yes. Or blackmail." He paused as he considered his next move. "Tonight, I want someone by the Cashier starting at … say twenty one hundred hours. See who has banked money and doesn't look entirely happy about what they get."

The whole team went early, taking turns watching the gamblers getting their chips. Anyone who asked for a specific amount was eliminated. By dawn they had a possible two other patrons.

"You know, depending on how much each contributes," said their resident gambler, "we could be here for another week or two." He looked around him at the opulence. "This isn't such a bad gig. Sleep all day, go to the Casino, watch all the babes, cop a few drinks …"

"Take it easy on the drinks. We're behind enemy lines," warned Garrison.

"Yeah, yeah, we know."

Three days later when the courier showed up they were ready. When the Vichy representative returned from the office and the driver pulled away they did not see the tail fall in behind them. Once clear of the built up area, Chief accelerated and began to pass the other car. As he pulled alongside he eased the wheel over veering into their front fender. The Vichy driver responded by trying to get out of the way and ended up in the ditch.

Two figures dressed all in black wearing masks jumped out of their car and approached the car in the ditch. Both men carried hand guns. While the taller man kept his weapon trained on the driver the second man opened the passenger door and gestured to the briefcase. The courier handed it over and the two men retreated. As they climbed into the car the man with the case said, in French, "The Count sends his thanks." As the doors closed the car sped away.

"How much was in there?" asked the leader of the covert team as they sat in their suite.

"Three thousand six hundred and fifty one francs," said Casino as he straightened the last stack. "Not bad, split four …"

"It goes to the War Office in London."

"Aw, come on Warden," protested the Englishman, seeing his nest egg vanishing.

"Give it here."

Reluctantly Casino gathered up the money and put it back in the case. "So, are we done here?" he asked as he watched Garrison take the case.

"Yes. Where's Actor?"

"He said he had something he had to do." Garrison's look said he did not like that but there was nothing he could do about it now.

"Did he say how long he would be?"

"No."

ggggg

Actor, looking ever so handsome in his tuxedo, arrived at the Casino just before eleven. After converting his cash to chips he wandered the rooms, watching the other patrons. He played a few hands of blackjack and roulette, winning and losing but overall he was ahead. Just before midnight he made his way to the Baccarat table where he stood and watched and waited.

It was after midnight by the time the Count arrived at the table. He sat down then made a big show of taking out a cigar, sniffing it, cutting it and finally lighting it. Then he nodded to the croupier giving his permission to begin. As the cards were being shuffled the Count looked around at his fellow players and spotted a familiar face.

In Italian he said, "Well if it isn't a face from the past." He sneered as he added, "Still a loser, I see, borrowed suit? Your latest dalliance too poor to keep you?"

Actor knew this was coming. He had prepared for the sarcasm, the slander… He had faced himself in the mirror and told himself all the possible lies and put downs that Lupo could use. He was ready this time.

"In spite of what you think, I do not have to cheat to earn my living. I also get to keep all the money I make." He smiled a satisfied smile which grew when he saw the Count's eyes narrow in anger.

"You know nothing," he said sharply as he turned away to check his cards.

"I do know the Germans would be very interested in this set up. Does Prince Louis know?" Actor noted Lupo's discomfort.

"You are still a nothing. You were a nothing when I took you in and you're a nothing now." The Count was trying to salvage his dignity as he saw his fellow players and some of the other patrons eyeing him.

"That is why I shall be setting sail tonight and going where ever I please. Can you say the same?" The conman tipped his head and raised an eyebrow waiting for an answer he knew was not coming.

Someone must have called Security because one was approaching. Actor waited until he was within range before switching to French and saying, "By the way, you should tell your underlings to be more careful. I heard them bragging about how they stole the money from the courier. Very sloppy." With that he added, "Arrivederci."

He would have liked to be there if the Police or Casino Security arrived at the Counts suite. Casino had put the briefcase on the Counts bed, empty of course.

As Actor made his way to the exit he could feel the dampness under his arms and the pounding of his heart. Outside in the night air he took a deep breath and exhaled. He had done it. He had faced his greatest fear, his nemesis and he had emerged victorious. He was free.


End file.
